Nihal Hamamci

The aim of this study was to identify the levels of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, and IL-8 around miniscrews used for anchorage during canine distalization. Sixteen patients (eight males and eight females; mean age, 16.6 ± 2.4 years) who were treated with bilateral upper first premolar extractions were included in the study. Thirty-two maxillary miniscrew implants were placed bilaterally in the alveolar bone between the maxillary second premolars and first molars as anchorage units for maxillary canine distalization. Three groups were constructed. The treatment, miniscrew, and control groups consisted of upper canines, miniscrew implants, and upper second premolars, respectively. Peri-miniscrew implant crevicular fluid and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) were obtained at baseline (T1) and at 1 (T2), 24 (T3), and 48 (T4) hours, 7 (T5) and 21 (T6) days, and 3 months (T7) after force application. Paired sample t-tests were used to determine within-group changes and Dunnett’s t and Tukey’s honestly significant difference tests for between-group multiple comparisons. During the 3 month period, IL-2 levels significantly increased (P < 0.01) but only in the treatment group after 24 hours. IL-6 levels were unchanged at all times points in the three groups. IL-8 levels increased significantly at 1 (P < 0.05), 24 (P < 0.01), and 48 (P < 0.01) hours in the treatment group and at 24 (P < 0.05) and 48 (P < 0.01) hours in the miniscrew group. It appears that miniscrews can be used for anchorage in orthodontics when correct physiological forces are applied.

This is a report about the orthodontic treatment of a 13-year, 10-month-old boy with total ankyloglossia combined with a Class III occlusion. The patient's tongue was fixed to the floor of his mouth and could not be elevated at all. He had a maxillary deficiency and a mandibular protrusion with a negative overjet. However, he was able to retrude his mandible to an edge-to-edge position. Before orthodontic treatment, the ankyloglossia was surgically rectified. Orthodontic treatment was initiated to improve the patient's occlusion and facial appearance by correcting his retruded maxilla by means of a face mask, fixed appliances, and Class III elastics. This led to a functional occlusion and an acceptable facial appearance.

The goal of this study was to assess longitudinal changes in the facial soft tissue profile in relation to age and gender in young Anatolian Turkish subjects. A total of 30 subjects (15 females and 15 males) with an Angle Class I occlusal relationship and normal antero-posterior (ANB, 2–4 degrees) skeletal relationships were selected from the archive of Dicle University. All subjects were of Anatolian Turkish heritage, and none had any apparent facial disharmony or had undergone orthodontic therapy. Lateral cephalometric radiographs taken at T1 (mean age 8.8 years), T2 (mean age 13.8 years), and T3 (mean age 17.8 years) were separately investigated. Non-gender-specific research was also carried out at the same time periods. In total, 24 measurements were analysed longitudinally. Differences between the genders were determined using independent t-tests. Repeated measures analysis of variance tests were used to evaluate repeated measurements, and paired sample t-tests to compare inside effects between the genders. Significant increases (P < 0.05) were found with age for both females and males. Generally, the increases were greater in males than in females. Nasal prominence increased more than chin prominence, resulting in a tendency to have convex profiles.

This study evaluated the microleakage of brackets bonded by four different enamel etching techniques. Forty freshly extracted human premolars were divided randomly into four equal groups and received the following treatment: group 1, acid etching; group 2, self-etching primer (SEP); group 3, erbium:yttrium–aluminum–garnet (Er:YAG) laser etching; and group 4, erbium, chromium:yttrium–scandium–gallium–garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG) laser etching. After photopolymerization, the teeth were kept in distilled water for 1 month and then subjected to 500 thermal cycles. Then, the specimens were sealed with nail varnish, stained with 0.5% basic fuchsin for 24 h, sectioned, and examined under a stereomicroscope. In addition, they were scored for marginal microleakage at the adhesive–enamel and bracket–adhesive interfaces from the incisal and gingival margins. Statistical analyses consisted of the Kruskal–Wallis test and the Mann–Whitney U test with Bonferroni correction. Microleakage occurred between the adhesive–enamel and bracket–adhesive interfaces in all groups. For the adhesive–enamel surface, a significant difference was observed between group 1 and groups 2 (P = 0.011), 3 (P = 0.002), and 4 (P = 0.000) on the gingival side. Overall, significant differences were observed between group 1 and groups 3 (P = 0.003) and 4 (P = 0.000). In dental bonding procedures, acid etching was found to result in the least microleakage. Since etching with a laser decreases the risk of caries and is time-saving, it may serve as an alternative to acid etching.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Turkish university students’ awareness of malocclusion, their satisfaction with their personal dental appearance, and the severity of their occlusal irregularities. The sample consisted of 841 randomly selected university students, 522 (62.1 per cent) males and 319 (37.9 per cent) females, aged 17–26 years (mean age, 21.91 ± 1.92 years). A pre-tested questionnaire was used to assess the subjects’ awareness of malocclusion and satisfaction with their personal dental appearance; the actual severity of malocclusion was determined using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Statistical analysis was carried out using chi-square for gender differences and Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients for awareness of malocclusion, satisfaction with personal dental appearance, and DAI scores. Analysis of variance and univariate analysis, with age and gender as the independent variables, were further used to analyse the data. Weak but statistically significant, negative, correlations were found between awareness of malocclusion and satisfaction at the following DAI scores: ≤25 (r = −0.264, P < 0.001), 26–30 (r = −0.381, P < 0.001), and ≥36 (r = −0.477, P < 0.001), and a statistically insignificant, negative correlation at a score of 31–35 (r = −0.102, P > 0.05). A statistically significant association was found between DAI and awareness of malocclusion (r = −0.305) and satisfaction with dental appearance (r = 0.234). There were no significant associations between the department in which the individuals studied and the investigated variables (P > 0.05). DAI scores were significantly higher for females. Generally, no statistically significant gender differences were found in relation to DAI scores, awareness, or satisfaction (P > 0.05). The findings of this study showed that age had a significant effect on satisfaction and gender on DAI score variation. Females had a greater need for normative treatment except in the 20- to 22-year-olds, and satisfaction decreased with age.

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the existence of third molar germs in orthodontic patients in Turkey, to examine the correlation between the existence of third molars and sagittal maxillomandibular jaw relationships and to compare the presence of third molars in individuals born in the 1970s and 1990s. The subjects were of450patients attending the orthodontic clinic Dicle University aged younger than 15 years. The subjects were divided into two groups: Group 1, consisted of 150 patients (50 males and 100 females) born between 1975 and 1979, and group 2 300 patients (124 males and 176 females) born between 1990 and 1997. Assessments were made from panoramic radiographs and lateral cephalograms. The chi square test was used to determine statistically significant differences. The following results were obtained: (1) all four third molar germs were present in 71.5 percent of subjects, (2) a non-significant decrease was determined in the level of third molars present in individuals group 2. (p>0.05) (3) mandibular third molars were present significantly more often than maxillary third molars (p0.05) and (5) the percentage of skeletal Class II subjects who had all four third molars was higher than that of skeletal Class III subjects.